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Soil fertility management
This operation is designed to improve soil fertility, in particular by stimulating biological activity through composting and co-composting. Different sources for organic matter and composting arrangements are used in the three OCTs but the common goal is to offer farmers a variety of high-quality products (compost, organic fertilisers, potting/top soil) that meets Pacific Organic Standard requirements. This requires support in organising ways to use organic animal and plant matter stocks. Finally, the operation’s regional dimension will make it possible to pool knowledge and tools to promote the sustainable management of farming soil fertility.
3 actions
• Carry out a feasibility study on local organic fertilisers and inputs (that are POS-certified) and develop benchmarks for composting practices
• Support the production of co-compost and growing substrates of consistent and measured quality
• Manage potential bacteriological risks due to the poor use of chicken manure
• Develop composting practice benchmarks
• Work with municipalities to develop to processes for collecting and producing compost and co-compost
• Promote the rotating pen system through pilot/demonstration farms so as to use pig farming waste via, among other things, soil and water testing
• Monitor cropping sequences and collect data on local organic product use on pilot/demonstration farms
• Monitor changes in the soils that have received such inputs and their production potential (biological, physical-chemical testing, etc.)
• Create a local database on soil and local organic products
• Train farmers and technicians on emerging topics such as soil biological quality, organic products, fertility assessment, etc.
